


Expecting the Unexpected

by EssieScrawls



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: High blood pressure, M/M, Merlin and Uther get along, Miscarriage, Mpreg, Same-Sex Marriage, Unconsciousness, personal assistant
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-21
Updated: 2014-10-03
Packaged: 2018-02-09 19:50:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,669
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1995696
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EssieScrawls/pseuds/EssieScrawls
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Merlin felt fine, or not. Whatever it was, it couldn't be <em>that</em> bad, right?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Warning: there are mentions of MPREG.

Merlin's day was starting out like any other normal working day for him. He would start up the computer, put on the kettle and sort out the mail. Once that was done, Merlin would wait for Uther to arrive.

He didn't need to wait for long. At eight am sharp, Uther stepped out of the lift and walked up to Merlin's desk.

"Morning Merlin." Uther gave him a nod.

"Morning Uther." Merlin greeted back with his usual grin. Uther wasn't just his boss, he was also his father in law.

He was already  Uther's personal assistant when he met (and later on dated) Arthur, Uther's son. Uther was against it at the start, mostly because Merlin didn't came from a family with money, but when Arthur had given his father the ultimatum of accepting Merlin as his boyfriend (now husband) or else he wouldn't be taking over the business, his father had yielded quickly. In fact, Uther and Merlin were now pretty close.

Merlin extended his hand to accept Uther's overcoat and the file that was lying on top of it. "The conference call is ready to begin in about ten minutes. Catrina's office just called to say that she's running a little bit late." Merlin told his boss and it earned him a huff from Uther.

"Tell me something new." Uther grumbled before walking into his office where he opened the blinds.

Merlin packed away the coat and filed the file in the cabinet. He came back to Uther's office with a steaming cup of chamomile tea; something that always did wonders in calming Uther down this early in the morning.

Over the years, Merlin had just gotten used to grumpy Uther in the mornings and he knew that after Uther would've had his tea, he would be more pleasant to be around.

Merlin sat the cup and saucer down in front of Uther and turned to the small cabinet in the corner of the room. It held all of Uther's sweets and Merlin was personal key keeper of it -courtesy of Uther's wife, who made it her life mission to keep Uther's blood sugars normal. He crouched down, grabbed the biscuit tin and held the tin up. Merlin turned his head to look over his shoulder. "What'd you think? Two or three this morning?"

He grinned when he saw Uther glare at him and turned back to get three biscuits out. He wanted to keep the boss happy.

When he stood up, he felt a flash of pain going through his side and he hissed. But as soon as he felt it, just as quick it was away. He just blamed it on standing up to fast and didn't thought any of it. He instead walked to Uther's desk and placed the three biscuits down on the saucer with a wink.

"Don't tell Misses Pendragon." Merlin whispered, almost hanging completely over the desk to be as close as possible to Uther.

Uther ignored Merlin's comment and dipped the biscuit in the hot liquid. He hummed in contentment when he tasted the sugar in his mouth. Merlin gave a nod and walked back to his own desk. There was lots to do.

Three hours later, Merlin was bustling about and a small headache had set in. The conference call was still going on and Merlin came and went with tea, files and copies. He could grab five minute breaks in-between, but that was about it. He didn't even had time to call Arthur.

Normally Arthur would be working in his office down the hall, but he was now gone all day for meetings with shareholders. They had only briefly spoken this morning before they both hurried off in different directions.

As he was trying to enjoy a sandwich, his intercom crackled. " _Merlin can you get me the Johnson file?"_

Merlin stuffed the rest of his sandwich into his mouth and chewed quickly and washed it away with some water. He pressed the button of the intercom. "Coming right up." He got up again and walked up to the large filing cabinet. When he pulled the necessary drawer out, he felt the same sort of twitch in his side again, just like this morning, it was just below the ribs.

He shook his head, this wasn't the time to get sick… or whatever this was. His slender fingers continued to glide over the files;  _G, H, I ah,_   _J_.

He pulled out the correct file and then there was a sharp pain going through his abdomen. It made him double over in pain.

Meanwhile the intercom crackled again. " _Merlin, have you found the file already?"_

When there went thirty seconds by and Uther didn't heard anything, he pushed the button again. " _Merlin?_ "

More seconds went by.

 _"_   _Merlin…?"_

There was a rustling in Uther's office and moments later the door opened quite harshly. Uther looked around him, trying to find his assistant and found him close to the filing cabinet; doubled over with one hand holding the file and supporting himself on his knee, while the other hand was clamped against his abdomen. Uther went to his son in law's side, putting a soft hand in the small of Merlin's back.

"Merlin, what's wrong? Talk to me."

Merlin drew a few breaths in through his nose and breathed out through his mouth. Then he straightened himself with a wince. "It's,  _hnng_ , nothing. Probably that stomach bug that's going round." He held up the file. "Here's the file."

"Forget the damn file!" Uther pulled it out of merlin's hand and threw it on the ground. He took three steps to Merlin's desk and pulled his desk chair back with him. His eyes never leaving Merlin.

"Sit." He ordered.

"Uther-"

"I said, sit."

Reluctantly Merlin sat down and got a glass of water that seemed to have appeared out of nowhere pressed into his hand. He looked up to Uther who nodded towards the glass. "Drink."

Merlin drank it all and Uther placed the empty glass on Merlin's desk. He stood in front of Merlin with his arms wrapped over each other. "And now tell me  _exactly_ what you're feeling." There was a moment of silence and Merlin could see, if he was not mistaken, a glint in Uther's eyes. "Are you…"

But Merlin shook his head no. "Hardly possible, you know about us. We can't…" Merlin didn't finish, it was always hard for him to speak of children when he knew that he and Arthur probably never would conceive again. Merlin suffered from severe hypertension and although dangerous with pregnancy, it wasn't impossible if they would be under a doctor's careful watch. But they already had a miscarriage once, and Merlin knew he couldn't go through that again.

And then there was also the fact that Arthur wasn't a carrier, so that wouldn't work either. There had been talking of adoption, but they never took actions.

"Besides," Merlin continued. "We always use condoms and I had my flowing last week." He blushed slightly. Discussing his sex life and bodily fluids with his father in law wasn't exactly high on his list.

"But maybe you  _are_ -"

"Uther! It's probably a bug. Just... just leave it." Merlin looked Uther straight in the eye for a full ten seconds and then broke eye contact to bend down and pick up the loose papers that had fallen out of the file. That's when another sharpness attacked him. He groaned softly, hoping that Uther wouldn't hear, but unfortunately for him, he did.

"Alright that's it." Uther announced, dialling a number on his phone. "I'm calling George, he'll be bringing you home with the company car."

Merlin heard Uther speaking on the phone and he wanted to oppose it, but he could barely breathe out a word. He curled up into himself and it seemed like hours passed by, when it were only mere seconds.

Uther placed a hand on Merlin's head, but didn't found any signs of fever. When he got the call back that the car was ready, Uther personally brought Merlin to the car and before he closed the door, he said, "Take some rest. And if it gets any worse, call me."

Merlin nodded. Perhaps going home and staying in bed wouldn't be a bad idea.

**~oOoOo~**

Merlin woke when he felt a hand going through his hair. He softly coaxed his eyes to open and had to take a few seconds to get used to the darkness. He saw the outline of a person and grunted. He just wanted to sleep a little bit more.

"Come on baby." Arthur bent down and pecked a kiss on Merlin's temple. "Time to get up, or you won't be getting any sleep tonight."

Merlin groaned softly again, but now because of the light that was flooding in when Arthur pulled the curtains away. He had thought it was already well into the middle of the night but his alarm clock told him that it was barely five thirty in the afternoon.

Arthur came back to sit on the side of the bed and felt Merlin's forehead.  _No fever_. He confirmed to himself.

"Dad told me that you weren't feeling well this morning, and when mum heard about it she made some soup for you. It's on the stove if you want some." He went to their closet and changed out of his stiff suit and into his more comfortable sweatpants and t-shirt.

Merlin rose, only barely, and supported himself on his elbows. He saw Arthur turning to him. "I'm sorry I wasn't there for you. I just couldn't get out of these meetings." Arthur looked guilty.

"S'fine." Merlin mumbled, forcing himself to get up and stretched high and wide. The nap he took did wonders; he didn't feel anything now. Maybe it had been a bug, or maybe it was just plain stress.

Pendragon Incorporate was currently in the middle of a fusion with another company, and the past month had been a busy one where he had been making ten hour work days. It was inevitable that there would come a breaking point for him sooner or later, and it seemed that it had come now.

"How are you feeling now?" Arthur asked him when Merlin followed him into the kitchen.

"Better." Merlin answered thrutfully when he sat down while Arthur scooped up two bowls of his mother's homemade soup. "Don't know what came over me, I just… didn't feel right." Perhaps it really was his body that was somehow telling him that he had to slow down.

"Well, you quite achieved in giving my father a heart attack! Alright almost." Arthur let a small smile appear when he sat the bowls and two spoons down onto the table.

"Good! Serves him for working me to the bone last month." Merlin grinned and Arthur was happy that his husband seemed to be feeling better again.

**~oOoOo~**

The next morning, Merlin got up and dressed for work. He made himself and Arthur some toast. The latter arrived just minutes later into the kitchen and ran a hand over his tired face and through his still damp hair from the shower. Once he saw his husband standing at the counter he frowned. "You're up?"

Merlin stopped what he was doing and looked down and then looked back up with his mouth wide open. "I'll be damned! I  _am_  up."

"Ha, ha. Very funny." Arthur took his usual seat at the breakfast bar. He poured in some orange juice and gave his husband a stern look. "Merlin, look, perhaps it's better if you stay home today."

"Why? I feel good. Arthur you just have to stop overreacting." Merlin retorted and took a large bite of his toast.

"Even so…" Arthur began, trying to reason with his husband. "From what my dad told me, you were in quite some pain. Maybe just take the day off and, I don't know, see a doctor?"

Merlin chewed and rolled his eyes simultaneously. When his mouth was empty, he said, "Gods, I have one sore side and suddenly everyone is treating me like an invalid."

"I'm not saying  _that_. I'm just… concerned. Have you checked your blood pressure already today?"

Merlin tried to not look annoyed. "Yeah, when you were in the shower."

"And…?"

"A little high, but-"

"Merlin!"

" _Arthur_!"

"Merlin, cut it. You know that you can't afford high blood pressure. Look, you're just staying home today."

"No." Merlin crossed his arms.

Arthur placed his hands in front of his face in frustration. "Just don't fight me on this."

"Arthur you're not the boss over me. I'm just going to work, whether you like it or not."

Arthur looked at his watch and growled. "You're insufferable!" Merlin just cocked an eyebrow, not caring much what his husband told him. "Merlin, I need to go to this meeting now." He got off his stool and pressed a kiss on Merlin's cheek. "Just… promise me that you'll measure your blood pressure every half an hour.  _Even_ at work."

Merlin sighed deeply.

"I love you." Arthur said and waited just as long until he would hear those same words back.

"Love you too." Merlin mumbled, picking up his toast once again.

**~oOoOo~**

Arthur stepped out of the lift, intending to go straight to his own office. During the meeting he realized his (incredibly stupid) mistake; he had forgotten a file that was quite important for the meeting. He had excused himself from his client and rushed back to the office to pick it up… and to simultaneously stop by his husband on his way back from his office to check if Merlin already measured himself. He was perhaps a bit strict when it came to Merlin and measuring himself, but he couldn't forget what had happened last summer. A shiver went over his spine just thinking back at it.

He rushed past Merlin's office, but stopped once he saw that Merlin's desk was unattended. He walked into the small kitchenette adjoinging Merlin's desk to see if Merlin was there, but he wasn't. He then knocked on his father's door. Perhaps Merlin was in there, it wasn't that uncommon for Merlin to work in there.

When he heard, "Enter.", he opened the door, but he only saw his father in there. He even checked behind the door to see if Merlin, by some miracle, was there, but again, it was empty. His father stood up and raised an eyebrow at him.

"Weren't you supposed to be in a meeting in like…" Uther glanced at the clock on the wall. "Forty minutes ago?"

"Yes, but I forgot- never mind. Where's Merlin?"

Uther sat down on his chair and pulled himself closer to the desk. "Home, I suppose. I assumed he would take a day off because of what happened yesterday."

Arthur's eyebrows knitted together. "No, he was coming in. We had a whole fight about it this morning." Arthur did become a bit worried now.

"Perhaps he changed his mind? Let me call his work mobile." Uther reasoned, he looked calm when he pressed the speed dial to Merlin's mobile.

Arthur came closer, waiting, hoping that his father would speak to Merlin. But when the seconds ticked by and a frown appeared on Uther's forehead, he knew that Merlin wasn't picking up. He grabbed his own mobile out of his pocket and dialled the home phone, but just like his father he had no such luck.

"Maybe he's asleep?" Uther said, but his normally calm and collective tone made way for a quiver. Despite their rocky start, Arthur knew his father had grown fond of Merlin in the three years that they were married.

"Let me try his normal phone." Arthur suggested, pressing the digits of Merlin's phone number. It immediately went to voicemail.

"Shit." Arthur let out a string of more swear words and mumbled something about high blood pressure to his father as he bolted out of the door.

He not yet burst through their apartment door and made his way towards the living room. There he found Merlin's phone on the ground, still beeping from disconnecting, and Merlin lying on the ground just a few feet away from it. His arm was still stretched out towards the phone. Arthur sank down onto his knees next to his husband and immediately noticed his husband's closed eyes and shallow breathing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To be continued.


	2. Chapter 2

Arthur was in shock.

Once he got over the most of his panicking after seeing his husband lying on the ground, not moving and not responding to him, he called the ambulance and opened the door so the paramedics could easily enter. He then went to sit on the ground as close as possible to his husband and held his hand and rubbed a comforting hand over Merlin's side. All the while memories from last Summer's events flashed through his mind and he prayed to every higher power that it wouldn't come to that.

When the paramedics arrived, they had moved Arthur a few feet so they could get to Merlin. Since then Arthur hadn't moved or spoken. He had been just sitting there on the ground while paramedics were prepping his still unconscious husband for transport. Arthur had dried tear streaks all over his cheeks and neck but didn't do anything to wipe them away.

Then there was an unfamiliar face in front of him and hands were being placed on his face and body, but he didn't pay attention to it. He just sluggishly blinked as he continued to stare in front of him.

All the time, the memories of last Summer kept bubbling up to the surface and he almost choked. Last year he had found his husband in an almost same manner, only then Merlin had been lying in their bed. Back then he was at least able to get his husband conscious before the paramedics had arrived. The cause was Merlin's high blood pressure and it was touch and go for a while, but he pulled through, but now… now his husband didn't react to anything at all.

He suddenly found himself crushed against someone's chest and arms were wrapping tightly around him. He recognized the scent and started to slowly come back to the here and now. Arthur pulled himself free from the hold, and looked up to the person. He wanted to be certain if it was indeed his father that had been wrapping him up into the tight hug.

Just seeing his father made him break down once again and Uther held Arthur close to him, his hands softly going over his back and his voice murmuring small reassurances to his son.

There was a snapping sound and Arthur turned his head to see that the stretcher was pulled up onto its wheels and paramedics were hurrying out of the apartment. Arthur flew off the ground, trying to stay as close as possible to his husband but he was held back by another paramedic.

"Sir, we need to give the paramedics space."

"I-I…" Arthur couldn't speak, the only thing that came out were sobs and hitched breaths.

**~oOoOo~**

Uther brought Arthur to the hospital. Arthur wasn't allowed to go with the ambulance… something about high risk and attention. Arthur had been protesting, but Uther told his son it was better this way. The paramedics needed all the space to treat Merlin.

Uther drove as fast as he could to the hospital, but to their unfortunate there was a traffic jam. Uther was on the verge to drive on the emergency lane when at that moment the traffic cleared and he could continue. He speeded to the hospital, probably breaking a dozen of traffic laws on his way there, but that was the least of his worries. All he could think off was his son in law who perhaps had a relapse from last year.

Uther arrived at the hospital about forty minutes after Merlin had been taken away by the paramedics and double parked his car (still not caring about breaking the rules). Arthur was already out before the car had come to a standstill and disappeared through the revolving doors. Uther quickly followed.

Arthur slammed his palms on the reception's desk, making the receptionist slightly jump. "Merlin Pendragon."

There was a voice coming from the other side. "Are you the partner of Merlin Pendragon?"

Arthur snapped his head around to look at (what he presumed was) a doctor in scrubs that was coming towards him. He left the receptionist desk to meet the man halfway. "Yes." Arthur curtly answered. "How is he? Is he awake yet? When can I see him? How is his blood pressure? -" There stumbled a few more questions out of his mouth, but the doctor didn't answered them just yet. Instead he placed a hand between Arthur's shoulderblades and gestured towards a hallway.

"Please follow me to somewhere a bit more private and quiet, I will then explain your husband's condition."

By then Uther had caught up with them and followed quietly behind, the doctor had stopped for a second and looked at Uther saying that only family was allowed, but Arthur quickly assured the man that it was his father.

Arthur followed the man towards the hallway and his mind didn't stopped thinking at what had happened to his husband. He didn't like how the doctor used the word  _condition,_  that word normally didn't bode very well. They were led to a more quiet part of a hallway where the doctor stopped and turned around to face them.

"Merlin has been brought in with an alarmingly high blood pressure."

Arthur closed his eyes, he had feared as much.

The doctor continued in a monotone matter. "We had to perform an emergency caesarean for we feared that the parent and the baby wouldn't survive if we didn't deliver the baby right now."

Arthur's eyes shot open.  _BABY?_

He must've misheard, surely that couldn't be the case. He looked to his side to his father, his face in complete shock and it must've been a complete replica of his own. The shock and disbelieve was well detectable in his father's eyes.

Slowly Arthur turned back to the doctor to hear what more he had to say. "The baby is in NICU and has been put in an incubator as it seems that it was a few weeks premature. They are running some tests now. And despite our fears, we have delivered the baby without any complications. We also managed to bring Merlin's blood pressure down a lot, although we still keeping him sedated and are monitoring him, as it's still not the way we would like it to be."

Arthur just shook his head. Merlin couldn't just had a baby, a  _living_ baby. No, the doctor was wrong, they  _would_ know if Merlin was pregnant, again. The last time Merlin was pregnant, he was already showing a lot with just four months, and now the doctor says that the baby was just a few weeks premature... it's just absurd! Merlin didn't had a belly, at all. Arthur believes that the man has been confusing him with another person.

"No disrespect, but  _surely_  you are mistaken."

The doctor's brow creased. "I don't understand, what do you mean?"

"Merlin… he is, was,  _not_ pregnant. He's – have you seen him? He's stick thin. We  _would_ know if he was pregnant. Sir, I do not like to be played –" Arthur breathed out a shaking breath.

The doctor's face changed, his eyes let through some confusion. "You mean to say that you didn't know –"

"NO!"

Uther placed a hand on his son's shoulder. "Arthur, please, take a seat there and calm down. Merlin needs you, but he can't see you like this."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> NICU = Neonatal (newborn) Intensive-Care Unit


	3. Chapter 3

This was surreal. He was sure of it. He would wake up any moment now and find Merlin cuddled up besides him in their bed and then he would wake Merlin up to get them ready for work. Yes, that was it. Just a dream. Because there was no way he could be staring at his daughter right now.

He rubbed his eyes with the heels of his hands deeply pressed against them and let out a deep sigh. It wasn't a dream, this was it. This was all too real. The constant beeping, the rush of doctors and nurses, the awful coffee. This was slowly becoming one of his worst nightmares. Here he sat in the NICU, staring at his all too small daughter lying in some plastic contraption while he sat on a chair that was coming to the point of being uncomfortable.

If he was being totally honest with himself, he would break down and cry there and then, but he didn't, because he knew that he needed to be the strong one. Not only for his daughter, but for Merlin as well. Merlin who was going up and down and doctors still didn't know whether or not he would survive the night.

It looked like Merlin would be out of the woods, but then his blood pressure skyrocketed once more due to complications and he was being rushed to Theater. That was already an hour ago and word still hasn't come to him that Merlin was out. He was only been told to sit with his daughter, which was a blessing and a curse since his daughter reminded him so much of Merlin. Her delicate features and blue eyes were the exact same as Merlin's and Arthur choked. He needed Merlin, needed him to be able to raise their child.

Their child. Still it was almost unbelievable that she was really there. The doctor had spoken to him, but he was just so into shock that he could understand what the man had been saying. His father had been there to listen to the doctor and he was thankful that his father was there. His father had after all experience with the NICU since he had spent some time there when Arthur was a baby.

Uther had explained to Arthur when he had calmed down more, that his child was a girl and has some breathing problems, that's why they put a breathing mask over her nose. The doctors told Uther that the baby was probably around 35 weeks, and when Uther told Arthur that, he couldn't quite believe that. That was almost a full term pregnancy! He  _would_  have known if Merlin was pregnant and Merlin would know  _for sure_ , but Merlin never had even hinted the slightest possibility.

Although, now some hours later and lots of time to think about everything, he could see some signs that could've hinted that Merlin was pregnant. First off it was Merlin's weight. Now, his husband was still as thin as a stick, but since the last give or take five months, he had started to get a little bit bigger. Not much, but still. Arthur nor Merlin didn't thought any of it. Those five months were quite hectic for the both of them, as it was leading up to the merging of the company. They had long working hours and were too knackered to cook once they came home at night and usually ordered some unhealthy take-out. Both of them gained weight, so yes, the possibility of a pregnancy wasn't even a thought that crossed their minds.

Then there were the condoms they used during sex. Of course they would've loved to have a child of their own, but Merlin's high blood pressure made it difficult and after the miscarriage that happened nearly a year ago Merlin wasn't up for it so soon. The miscarriage had taken a lot of him mentally and Arthur couldn't let his husband go through it again so soon, so they started to use condoms again. There was that one time one of the condoms ripped, but after a negative pregnancy test and Merlin telling him that he still had his flowing every month, both of them let it rest.

But it was probably that time that their daughter was conceived.

Still they had no idea…

Their mind wasn't set on their private life the past five months, their time was dedicated to the company and it brought some stress with them. Merlin got headaches and back pains and he blamed that on the stress and the long workdays. Arthur knew better now.

Arthur felt a hand placed onto his shoulder and it was his father standing behind him, together with his mother, who had come as soon as she heard the news. They tried to get a hold on Merlin's mother, but Arthur knew that she was in Australia for business at the moment and the time differences made it difficult to reach her. They kept trying though and left several voicemails and messages in the hope Hunith would hear them.

"Is there any news?" Arthur asked softly, not trusting himself at speaking up. He saw his father softly nodding his head and he held his breath.

Uther crouched down in front of his son and placed his hands on his son's knees. He tried to give him a small smile. "Merlin's out of the surgery and everything went well. We now have to wait on how he will do, it's all up to him now." Uther squeezed Arthur's knees gently.

Arthur exhaled deeply and looked up to where his daughter was lying. She was squirming and her hands were making tight fists. Arthur sighed, she was just so small and delicate.

A nurse had stopped by nearly an hour ago and asked him if he wanted to hold her, but he was terrified by that thought. He was sure he would drop her. He had shaken his head no and the nurse smiled at him and told him that she would come by later.

That time had come now. The same nurse approached Arthur and asked him again. His breathe hitched, the thought of holding her still scared him, but the nurse told him that contact with the baby was a crucial part of the child's recovery and development. He still shook his head, but Uther had placed his hand on his son's shoulder again and told him that it was true. Uther told Arthur that he had held him in what was called the  _kangaroo care_ when he was in NICU. The nurse had nodded at that and only then Arthur shakily accepted that he would hold his daughter.

The nurse instructed him to take of his shirt, as it was crucial that there would be skin to skin contact. Arthur had frowned first, but when his mother and father reassured him that it was alright, he did as he was told. The nurse made him sit on a comfortable rocking chair and threw a blanket over Arthur's back and shoulders, so he and the baby wouldn't get cold and then gently picked up his child from the incubator. When the nurse picked her up, she started to become a little bit fussy.

The breathing mask was securely tightened around her little head and there were many lines attached to her that went to all kinds of machines, but Arthur only had eyes for his child, although he didn't know exactly what to do.

Arthur kept still until the moment that the nurse brought his child to his chest. He was shocked by  _how_ small she actually was. He already seen her of course through the plastic, but now he was actually holding her, he could tell how little she was. She was bigger than his hand, but only just. Holding his breath, he tightened his hold on his child, who was now resting against his chest. Tears sprang into his eyes and he looked up to his parents who stood close-by, holding each other.

Arthur's heart must've beat a million miles per minutes when he held his child all on his own, but he became more confident every second that passed. His daughter had stopped her fussing and actually started to relax against her father's chest and soon fell asleep. Arthur had barked a soft laugh at that.

He sat like that for a while, gently rocking back and forth in the chair and just softly running his thumbs of his daughter's back as he was too afraid to let one hand go. His mother and father went to sit besides him and Uther told him how scared he was the first time he was allowed to hold Arthur.

Arthur had lost track of time and didn't know whether it was morning, afternoon or night, but it didn't matter to him. He was focused on his daughter and was thinking about his husband. His mother had finally been able to get directly contact with Hunith, and after a few seconds of complete silence, Hunith told Ygraine that she would come as soon as possible.

For Arthur it was time for his daughter to be placed back in the incubator and his parental instincts were telling him to fight that decision, but his head knew it was the best thing to do. With ever so much care he handed his daughter over to the nurse and followed every movement the nurse did.

He soon found his place next to his daughter again, and ignored his parents when they told him that he should take some rest, or at least eat something. He didn't want anything, he only wanted to be with his daughter and Merlin, but there still hadn't been word to tell him that he was allowed to go up.

**~oOoOo~**

It must've happened involuntarily, because the next moment he was opening his eyes after his father had shaken him at his shoulder and he slowly blinked up to him. He must've fallen asleep without actually knowing. He rubbed his eyes and his eyes immediately went to the incubator where his daughter was peacefully sleeping. Slowly he turned back to his father and he looked at him expectantly. If his father would wake him up and his daughter was asleep, then there must've been word about Merlin.

That thought woke him up completely and he stood up. "Merlin?" Was all he said and his father gave him a nod with his head.

"The doctor told me that he's awake, and scared, and that he's asking for you. You're allowed to see him." Uther said and brought his hand to Arthur's elbow to guide him towards the lift.

His mother was already waiting for them at they lift and they rode it in silence. They arrived at the ICU and Uther stopped in front of a door and opened it. He gestured Arthur to walk in and Arthur inhaled deeply. How in the hell would he explain Merlin that they just became parents?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's actually possible that you're pregnant without knowing. Although in most cases, after delivery, mothers can see the signs that they had in the past months, but at that time didn't put two and two together.
> 
> There's also a show called 'I Didn't Know I Was Pregnant' and that's what this story is mostly based on.
> 
> I was also sceptical about not knowing (because honestly, I would think that you would just know if you're pregnant) but I know a woman in real life that didn't knew she was pregnant, so yes, it is possible.


	4. Chapter 4

Arthur felt his hand shake when he reached for the door handle, but he knew he couldn't be standing outside this door forever. He had to face his husband some time, and he wanted too. Believe him he wanted nothing more in the whole world, but just the thought of having to tell Merlin that he had been pregnant for give or take eight months was making his stomach roll. It was just that when Merlin was pregnant the last time, he loved every single minute of it. Merlin kept talking to his stomach and was lovingly rubbing his stomach every moment he could. And Arthur loved seeing his husband like that, and it just gave him an unsettling feeling that he and Merlin couldn't be like that with this pregnancy, but in the end it wouldn't really matter… he believes. They really had a child now, a living child who needed her parents.

Arthur breathed in deeply and turned the handle. His eyes immediately went to his husband when he entered the room and he heard a shaking, "A-Arthur."

Arthur tried to give his husband a reassuring smile, but it was so hard when he had taken in the state his husband was in. His already pale skin was even paler, almost matching the crisp white sheets he was wrapped in. His eyes were a bit dull, and his hair was plastered to his forehead – Arthur presumed that was from sweat. But at least he wasn't hooked on many machines like their daughter was. There were only electrodes for the heart rate monitor stuck on his chest, a the strap of the blood pressure monitor was wrapped around his upper right arm and an IV too give him fluids and possibly also medicine.

Arthur didn't waste any more time by standing by the door and immediately sped to the bed and cradled his husband into his arms and heard Merlin mutter, "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to scare you." over and over again.

He paid little attention on Merlin's mutterings, because he was far too much concentrating on the man in his arms. He loved the feeling of his husband being back into his arms, where he belonged, and to smell that scent that was Merlin's entire own. He didn't let Merlin go for probably the next five minutes. He only let go when he felt Merlin push his hands against his chest and then Arthur drew himself back. Arthur looked down at his husband and sat down on the edge of the bed, not letting Merlin's hand go.

He looked at Merlin intensely and saw Merlin's mouth twitch and him biting his lip. Arthur knew those little traits – he knew Merlin was mulling his thoughts over. Arthur brushed his thumb over the back of Merlin's hand and scooted a little bit closer. He inhaled deeply, looked at the heart monitor and then back at Merlin. The time to tell was now.

"Merlin, there's. There's something I need to tell you."

Merlin casted his eyes down. "Am I…" Merlin took a deep breath. "Am I going to die?"

That statement totally threw Arthur off and his jaw dropped when he heard those words. He immediately sat closer to his husband, cradling Merlin's jaw into his palm and making him look up at him. "Don't  _ever_ say something like that. Merlin, you're  _not_ going to die. You…" Arthur exhaled slowly. "You just have given birth Merlin."

Arthur stopped when he saw a myriad of emotions going through Merlin's eyes. Disbelieve, hope, fear, happiness… and many more. In the end, Merlin showed more disbelieve than anything else. Arthur couldn't hold back anymore and breathed out a small laugh. "We've done it, love. We're parents of a beautiful baby girl. Merlin you have to see her, she's just like you."

But Merlin didn't share his happiness. If anything, Merlin backed away from Arthur until his back hit the pillow and a frown started to form between his eyebrows. His arms instinctively wrapped around his stomach, but as his did so, he winched.

Arthur looked at his husband with holding his breath. He had screwed it up. He didn't had to tell Merlin it this way, it was a too hard smack in the face. He could only look helplessly to the scene in front of him.

Merlin unwrapped his arms from his stomach, only to pick the hospital gown up and looking in horror to the bandage covering most of his lower abdomen. Wide eyes looked up to Arthur, who nodded as he didn't know what else to do or say.

"H-how?" Was what Merlin finally said after seconds of excruciating silence. Arthur swallowed.

"I-I don't know. It was as much a surprise for me as it was to you. Merlin honestly, I thought I had lost you, when the doctor came up to me, but instead she– she congratulated me. I didn't know what to do, I thought they were mixing me up with someone else!" There was a small smile forming again. "But it wasn't, and they showed me the most beautiful girl in the world and told me it was mine. Merlin," Arthur grabbed both Merlin's hand into his own and held on tight. "She's gorgeous."

"She's alive?" Merlin's voice carried a load of disbelieve. Arthur nodded.

"She is, and she's about thirty five weeks." Merlin's eyes widened.

"I-I didn't know! How is this possible?" Merlin's managed to free his hands and instead grabbed Arthur's shirt. "Arthur, I swear… I wouldn't hold this from you."

Arthur heard the heart monitor beep a little faster and he needed to be careful now so his husband's already high blood pressure wouldn't get any higher. He could do only one thing and that was to draw his husband into a warm hug. His hand making reassuring and calming circles on his husband's back, while murmuring soft words. "Merlin you did nothing wrong. It's okay. We made it, she made it. Calm down."

It took nearly ten minutes and a visit from a doctor to calm Merlin down and he was now lying back against the pillow with his fingers fidgeting above the sheets. Arthur had explained Merlin most of what happened (and keeping his husband's condition under watchful eye), because he didn't want to keep anything from Merlin. He told him about the moment he had found him at home and how Uther had driven him to the hospital and that Hunith was on her way from Australia.

Merlin's eyes started to water when Arthur told him that their daughter was being helped with breathing, and Merlin thought it was his fault for using his blood pressure medicine. Arthur told Merlin that it wasn't because of that, and that the doctors were hopeful and that they expected their daughter to be released from the hospital in about two weeks, when her lungs would be strong enough so she could breathe on herself.

"There is just one other problem." Arthur said finally. Merlin's eyes immediately widened in fear, and Arthur could kick himself for wrongly word the sentence. He held out his hands. "No, no. Not with our daughter. It's just… we don't have a name yet."

**~oOoOo~**

** FIVE YEARS LATER **

"Daddy! Daddy!" Merlin looked up when he heard that familiar voice and stood up from his bent position in front of one of the cabinets. Not sooner than he stood, he was attacked at his legs by a five year old little girl clutched around his legs. Her breathing fast, almost to the point of wheezing and her long brown hair falling in front of her eyes.

Merlin shook his head lightly before crouching down on eyelevel and brushed her hairs behind her ears. He then took the inhaler from his little girls small purse that she carried around everywhere she went and shook it a few times before taking the cap off. The little girl wrapped her mouth around the nozzle and then Merlin pressed down.

As Merlin held the inhaler, Arthur walked in. He was slightly flushed, but not out of breath. "Sorry, she just escaped from me." He said as an apologize. Merlin pulled the inhaler from his daughter's mouth. Since her birth, she could never use her lungs to the full capacity, but they managed with inhalers. "Now Mithian, what did I tell you about getting away from papa."

"I shouldn't." Mithian answered with a slight pout, hoping that she would get away with her innocence. Then she held three flowers up. "But daddy, I wanted to give this!" She shook the three delicate flowers in front of Merlin's face and Merlin sent her a bright smile. "For me?" He answered with his voice a few octaves higher and took the three flowers (that she obviously picked from their own garden) and gave his daughter a tight hug. "Thank you darling."

"They have to be in water." Mithian said, almost scowling. Merlin heard Arthur snort from the spot at the doorframe and sent Arthur a playful glare. "Well," Merlin began, standing up. "Then we better find something where we can put them in, okay?"

Mithian nodded heavily and already opened some cabinets, before finally revealing a plastic cup and held it up high. "This one daddy!"

"That one?" Merlin replied, and after a heavy nod again from his daughter he took it and filled it with water and put the three flowers in. "Hmmm, I wonder where we should put it." Merlin said, rubbing his chin. His daughter was already bouncing on her feet and pointing to the living room. "The big table daddy!"

"Oh, I don't know if your papa wants them there." Merlin looked up to see Arthur's mouth already shaping in a big 'O'. Mithian turned around to her father, already showing her big blue eyes. "Papa, pleeeeeaaase can we put it there. Pleaaaaase?" She slowly walked her way to Arthur and gave his legs a hug. Arthur patted his daughter's head. "Well, I suppose that  _is_ the best spot."

"Yayy! Daddy, come. Come!"

Mithain dashed into the living room, leaving Merlin and Arthur behind in the kitchen. Arthur walked up to Merlin and wrapped his hands around his waist. He leaned in for a kiss on Merlin's cheek. "Happy anniversary."

Merlin turned to Arthur, making sure that the cup with water and flowers didn't tip over, and kissed his husband properly. They were interrupted by an annoyed voice coming from the living room.

"I'm waiting!"

"She  _so_ has your annoying and demanding personality." Merlin giggled when he heard Arthur's small intake of breathe. 

"I do have a  _great_  personality."

Merlin clapped Arthur a few times on his shoulders. "Keep telling yourself that, love." Merlin turned away from Arthur and took a few steps before stopping and turning back. "Oh, and there's something else."

"Hmm-m?"

Merlin bit his lip to prevent a huge grin showing through. Then placed his free hand on his stomach. "I just hope that this one will have my personality." With that he turned around and left a gobsmacked Arthur standing in the middle of the kitchen.

THE END

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know Mithian has brown eyes in the show, but for the sake of the story, she has blue ones.

**Author's Note:**

> To be continued.


End file.
